


equivalent exchange

by orphan_account



Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: Gen, Implied Seishirou/Subaru, M/M, Tokyo Revelations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-10
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-04 19:55:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/714473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the end, Kurogane does not (cannot) kill Fai.</p>
            </blockquote>





	equivalent exchange

Seishirou dies quickly.

Kurogane has had a lot of practice in killing, and even exhausted and bloodied, his final blow is precise.

Seishirou's eyes flash, and his lips move briefly--no sound comes out save for the bubbling of blood against his lips. Then he slumps and falls to the ground with a hollow thump. It only takes a few seconds.

Which isn't to say it isn't messy--the spray of blood and choked, aborted sound would be enough to make his stomach roll if he hadn't seen it a hundred times over. He chances a glance at the group clustered below--Syaoran's face is open and horrified, Mokona huddled into his shoulder, while Fai looks uncharacteristically grim. 

It's a good thing the princess is still asleep, he thinks dully, as something warm pulses against his forehead. The thought of Tomoyo's curse drains him even further. He doesn't regret what he did, but there's certainly no rush of exhilaration or pride, like some of his kills had been back in Nihon.

He barely has time to stumble toward them before they're being swept away to another world in cold, depressed silence.

Several months later finds them in Tokyo, huddled around Fai as his unsteady breaths fill the room. There's a fresh indent in the stone wall nearest to Kurogane, and Fai's single visible eye is closed.

Yuuko stares at them impassively, her image flickering in the projection. "You must ask Subaru for his blood," she says. "His vampire blood,"

And Subaru smiles gently at them. "You see," he says softly. "I believe I will be the one who will fetch the price for the water," There's something hard behind his emerald eyes that Kurogane can't quite place. But he doesn't have time to dwell on that now--he whirls on Yuuko, rather than try and puzzle out the unfathomable vampire.

"What the fuck does that mean," he says harshly, and it's less of a question than a demand.

Yuuko opens her mouth, looking more emotional than Kurogane has ever seen her, but Subaru beats her to it.

"It means I refuse to give you my blood," His voice is as sweet as ever, but his eyes are cold now--colder than his earnest face would suggest.

"Why?" Mokona cries, while Kurogane stands speechless, torn between rage and despair.

There's a brief flash of gold, and then Subaru's expression settles into grim determination. "You are the one who killed Seishirou-san," he says flatly, keeping his gaze on Kurogane. Kamui flinches beside him, but keeps silent.

Kurogane forces his hands and voice steady as he answers. "It wasn't the wiza--this guy. It was me," he says, very nearly desperately, but Subaru is already shaking his head.

"He asked for you to let him die," Subaru says, and his voice is not unkind. "You, on the other hand, wish him to live," he waits for a reply, but none comes. Kurogane is still and silent, already knowing what the vampire's final answer will be.

"And in return for what you did to Seishirou-san, I refuse to give you what you want," Subaru says finally. "I am sorry,"

The room is silent for a moment, before Subaru turns and strides from the room, Kamui close on his heels. The rest of them file out slowly after, Satsuki hurried along by Yuuto.

Even the Syaoran hoists Sakura into his arms and follows, after a few minutes. Mokona stays, crying silently, though Yuuko's form flickers out.

It takes an hour for Fai to stop breathing. It's a silent, still death that Kurogane can't bring himself to cut short.

He wonders at the last words he spoke to Fai--"If you want to die so badly, I'll kill you myself".

He hadn't gotten the chance.

**Author's Note:**

> (I'm sorry.)


End file.
